Posted on March 18, 2025 in Wrongful Death

The sudden loss of a loved one in a car accident is a truly devastating experience, and it can be made even more painful when the crash is due to someone else’s negligence. In addition to emotional grief, families are often left to deal with overwhelming financial burdens. Although no lawsuit can reverse the loss, a wrongful death claim can help ease financial hardships and hold the responsible party accountable. If you are looking to pursue a wrongful death claim, an experienced Illinois personal injury attorney can help your family understand your rights and fight for the compensation you all deserve.

Who Is Eligible to File a Wrongful Death Claim in Illinois?

The Illinois Wrongful Death Act states that only the deceased person’s personal representative can file a wrongful death claim. This representative is typically named in the deceased’s will. If no will exists, the court may appoint a spouse, adult child, or other close family member as the personal representative.

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 Posted on February 17, 2025 in Car Accidents

Dash cameras are valuable tools for drivers, as these devices capture real-time recordings of road incidents. If you have been injured in a car crash, dash cam footage can serve as key proof in an insurance claim or legal case. But how effective is dash cam evidence in proving accident liability, and what legal factors should you consider? An Illinois personal injury lawyer can help determine how dash cam footage may impact your case and ensure it is appropriately used in legal proceedings.

How Can Dash Cam Footage Support Your Car Accident Claim?

Dash cam footage can provide an objective account of an accident, so it can be helpful when you need to prove fault. If another driver ran a red light, changed lanes without signaling, or drove recklessly, the footage might clearly show it. This evidence can also strengthen insurance claims by supporting your version of events.

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 Posted on January 17, 2025 in Personal Injury

Winter’s beauty often comes with hidden dangers, and icy walkways are a prime example. Slipping on ice can do more than ruin your day– it can leave you with expensive medical bills, missed work, and long-term pain. If a property owner’s negligence caused your fall, you may have the right to pursue compensation. A slip and fall lawsuit can help you recover your losses and hold the responsible party accountable. With the guidance of an experienced Illinois personal injury attorney, you can navigate the legal process and protect your rights.

When Can You File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit After an Icy Accident?

In Illinois, property owners are typically required to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. It is important to note that not every slip and fall on ice leads to legal liability. Under Illinois' Natural Accumulation Rule, property owners are not usually responsible for injuries caused by natural accumulations of snow or ice formed from regular snowfall. However, liability may arise if:

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 Posted on December 20, 2024 in Delivery Driver Accidents

The holiday season is a time filled with packed shopping carts, endless online orders, and an increase in delivery trucks on the road. Companies like Amazon, FedEx, and UPS face enormous pressure to meet deadlines, which means that many delivery drivers have to work longer hours in stressful conditions. Unfortunately, this combination of factors often results in an influx of delivery driver negligence, leading to accidents and serious personal injuries. If you or a loved one have been hurt due to a negligent delivery driver, an Illinois personal injury attorney can help you pursue legal action.

What Causes Increased Negligence Among Delivery Drivers During the Holidays?

Delivery companies increase their operations during the holidays, often hiring seasonal drivers and assigning longer routes to their employees. This surge in demand contributes to several risk factors, including:

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 Posted on November 19, 2024 in Truck Accidents

While it can feel difficult being told there are limits to our freedom and we cannot just do whatever we want whenever we want to, many rules and laws in a democratic society are there to keep us safe. That is certainly the case with hours of service regulations.

While a driver might think he has a different level of tolerance and can work well on less sleep than others, evidence over many years has proven that tired drivers get in more accidents. With truck accidents having the capacity to cause severe physical and bodily harm, the stakes are even higher for tired truck drivers. If you were injured in an accident with a truck, speak with a qualified Lake Zurich, IL personal injury lawyer to understand whether there is enough cause to examine whether hours of service regulations were violated.

What are Hours of Service?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces hours of service guidelines that place limits on the maximum number of hours commercial drivers are legally allowed to drive consecutively. There are specific rules about when truck drivers need to take breaks and how long they should be. If a truck driver violates hours of service and is then involved in a collision, this can have severe implications for their liability.

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 Posted on October 18, 2024 in Pedestrian Accidents

When a car hits a pedestrian, the resulting harm can be severe. The trauma and shock of walking around and suddenly being crashed into can be debilitating, in addition to any physical harm that needs to heal. Victims of pedestrian accidents often require significant physical and emotional therapy, and the victim might need to be absent from work for an extended period while that happens. If you were hit by a car, speak with an experienced Cook County, IL personal injury lawyer to understand your options for compensation.

Common Injuries from Pedestrian Accidents

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, 18% of all car accident-related deaths happen in pedestrian accidents. When a car collides with a person, the victim is at significant risk. Those who manage to survive this type of crash generally suffer injuries and consequences for the rest of their lives. While every crash is different, some of the injuries most commonly associated with pedestrian accidents are:

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 Posted on September 17, 2024 in Car Accidents

If you are injured in a car accident, you would think that the liable insurance company would simply pay you a reasonable settlement amount without any hassle. Unfortunately, the exact opposite is usually the case. Insurance companies have an extensive repertoire of tricks designed to damage your claim and reduce or eliminate your settlement.

What tactics do these companies use? Can they use your actions against you? When you work with an experienced attorney from Premier Illinois Injury Lawyers, we will not let insurers take advantage of you.

How Do Insurance Companies Sabotage Car Accident Claims?

Insurance company representatives may be courteous, but they are not your friends. Instead, their job is to protect the company’s best interests, which are usually the opposite of yours. You deserve fair compensation for your damages, which might include lost wages, medical expenses, property damage, pain and suffering, and permanent disability.

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 Posted on August 21, 2024 in Truck Accidents

A recent social media post made by the Tennessee Highway Patrol detailed safety violations found in a recent truck inspection. The driver was using a suspended license, and a Mountain Dew box was being used as a wheel cover, letting a wheel seal leak oil onto the road. 

Both of the stated violations were potentially negligent behaviors, and negligence can affect a personal injury claim. Truck accident claims are typically complex, and it helps to have an experienced lawyer from Premier Illinois Injury Lawyers on your side.

What Is Negligence?

Negligence is a legal term commonly used in civil personal injury matters. It refers to a failure to behave like a reasonable person would in the same situation, whether by action or inaction. To establish that a person is negligent, you need evidence that proves:

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 Posted on July 22, 2024 in Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect

While you may hope that your elderly loved one receives the best care in a nursing home, this is not always the case. Nursing homes are frequently understaffed, and many nursing home staff members may not be adequately trained or fit to be working with the elderly. This results in instances of abuse, with emotional abuse being some of the most difficult to identify in a nursing home.

If you suspect your loved one has suffered from emotional abuse in a nursing home, you will need to contact an Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer for details on how to hold the facility accountable.

What Is Emotional Abuse in a Nursing Home?

Emotional abuse is defined as a pattern of behavior that frightens, humiliates, or embarrasses another person. Victims of emotional abuse typically develop a significant amount of psychological trauma and stress, and they may struggle with a number of related health issues caused by the emotional abuse.

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 Posted on June 20, 2024 in Personal Injury

Dog bites are unexpected, especially in cases where dogs attack without provocation. The consequences of a dog bite injury can be severe and victims are often recovering from shock, making logical thinking difficult. In many cases, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the owner of the dog to recover compensation for any damages the dog bite caused. A seasoned Illinois dog bite injury attorney can review your case and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

Who Is Responsible for a Dog Bite Injury in Illinois?

In Illinois, strict liability applies to dog bite injuries and dog owners. With strict liability, the Animal Control Act states that the owner of a dog is responsible for any injuries his or her dog causes, regardless of whether or not the dog was previously known to be dangerous. You may have a lawsuit against the dog’s owner if you can prove that:

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